A Lurlinemas to remember
by Eowyn-Faith
Summary: These are just a couple of one shots about Lurlinemas. About the Lurlinemas Elphaba or Glinda had.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All credits for WICKED go to Gregory Maguire, Stephen Schwartz. I own the plot, the idea, nothing else. **

**The prayer I found on the internet is by Ella Wheeler Wilcox and I changed Christmas to Lurlinemas.**

**Thanks to BelieveTheWarIsOver for beta reading.**

**Frohe Weihnachten - Feliz Navidad – Joyeux Noël – Vrolijk keerstfeest – Buon Natale and Merry Christmas everyone.**

**These are just a couple of one shots about Lurlinemas. **

**A Lurlinemas to remember**

**Chapter 1 – Nessarose and Elphaba**

Lurlinemas was one big celebration in the Thropp household. Little Nessarose would get more presents then she had any year before. Her father would spoil his favourite daughter as usual, and if he even remembered the fact that he had another child, Elphaba would find one small package under the tree for her too.

This year the enormous tree standing near the fireplace was set up behind a stack of multi-colour wrapped presents, all for Nessarose. Elphaba had already taken a look in hope to spy a present for her but found nothing.

But after all, what should her father get her? She clashed with everything, so a new dress wasn't practical, She had already four black frocks so she didn't need another one. Jewellery was only for beautiful people, not for her. The only jewellery Elphaba owned was her mother's wedding band and she knew that when Nessarose came of age she had to give the ring over to her sister. Elphaba didn't need a wedding ring. Who would ever marry a green person? No one.

The room was heavily adorned from top to bottom with winter themed decorations. Each ornament varied from length, width and what it was made of. Nessarose had asked for it. And who was Frexspar Thropp to deny his favourite child her wish?

Now, as he wheeled her inside the room, Elphaba following a few feet behind them, both father and eldest daughter knew all the effort was worth it, seeing Nessarose eyes lit up.

"Oh it's beautiful, thank you father!" Nessarose squealed in excitement.

"Only the best for my daughter."

"Oh thank you. Don't you think it's beautiful Elphaba?" she asked her sister.

"Yes it is."

But Elphaba didn't really care for the decoration. She had stopped caring long ago, ever since she only got a piece of coal for Lurlinemas the year her mother had died.

She sat down by the fireplace on her usual spot and watched as her sister opened present after present. At some point while Nessarose was opening presents, Elphaba got lost in thoughts. She remembered the only real Lurlinemas she ever had, the year before her mother had died. Elphaba remembered how her mother had light candles in every window the evening of Lurlinemas. There had been not a lot of decorations, only the candles and a small tree in the corner, not like the big one now standing there. And her mother had sung a beautiful song for her. Elphaba started humming the tune until a shriek interrupted her memory.

Her sister had opened a present sent to her by a distant aunt.

"What's this!? Father it is atrocious, obscene! I wanted a real doll, like the one I saw in the shop in town, not this hideous thing!"

Her aunt Acantha had sent Nessarose a handmade doll.

Elphaba had to stifle a smile. Leave at to Nessarose to be upset about her aunt sending her a present. After all, Acantha had forgotten that her niece Melena had had two daughters. Nessarose should be thankful that she even gotten a present since Elphaba hadn't. Or maybe their aunt had sent presents for the two of them and her father had taken of the card on Elphaba's, replacing it with a card with Nessarose name on it. After all, why would she even deserve a present?

Elphaba watched as her father tried to calm Nessaroses outburst.

"I am going to buy you the doll you want tomorrow."

"You promise?"

"Yes, I promise. You'll get the doll you desire and maybe another one too," Frexspar suggested.

The thought about her getting two additional presents tomorrow brought a smile to Nessarose's face and she dropped the handmade doll to the floor, not caring were it came to rest, before opening another present her father handed to her. Life was good at the Thropp household.

And during the night when Elphaba walked into the living room to stoke the fire in the fireplace, she found the little doll her sister had so carelessly thrown away.

Carefully she picked the doll up as if it was the most precious thing in the world: to her it was.

"I guess we are alike. You and I aren't accepted because we aren't beautiful."


	2. Chapter 2

For disclaimer and other stuff, see part 1

**Chapter 2 – Galinda**

Only five years old and still very small, Galinda had big blue eyes and curly blonde hair that was most often worn in pigtails, tied up with ribbons. Her nose was upturned and her mouth was pretty and pink with a little dent in her upper lip. Her daddy always told her she was as cute as a button, but she was still too young to realize what that meant. After all, she had never thought the buttons on her winter coat were very cute.

Galinda Upland was a very impatient child. All who knew her were aware of this. She would fidget in her seat, twirl her hair and bite her tiny fingernails if you ever made her wait for something, especially something she wanted. Like today. Anxiously, she stood outside the great ballroom. Every year there was an enormous tree much higher then her momsie in the ballroom.

Galinda had to wait outside until her parents called her in. Then, the same happened every year. First she would have to say a little prayer and then she would get to open her presents.

Ever since she was little, she had always gotten tons of presents. Everything her heart desired, she got. And because of this, under the tree there were stacks of presents for just for her.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door opened from the inside and her mother called her in.

"Presents!" Galinda exclaimed, knowing full well that she wouldn't get them now.

"First say your prayer young lady," her father admonished.

"When Lurlinemas bells are swinging above the fields of snow, we hear sweet voices ringing from lands of long ago, and etched on vacant places are half-forgotten faces of friends we used to cherish and loves we used to know," she said, reciting the words she knew by heart.

Her parents, especially her father, wanted her to remember and cherish the true meaning of Lurlinemas, but they knew by spoiling their only child they would never achieve such goal.

But they would still buy whatever presents their child desired to make her happy. After all, what was really wrong with spoiling her?

Nothing. Especially when they saw the cute, dimpled smile on Galinda's face, they knew that they would buy her as many presents as she desired the next year and every time in between Lurlinemas.

Galinda started counting her presents as she usually did.

"There are only 35 presents. Momsie you promised me another one if I was a good girl the whole year. I have been my bestest and I deserve two more presents," Galinda pouted.

"Yes you did," her mother said, knowing full well that the next year the same thing would happen again, but she would buy her princess all the presents she wanted. Galinda deserved only the best.


	3. Chapter 3

For disclaimer and other stuff, see part 1

**Chapter 3 – Lurlinemas at Shiz**

"And I told my parents that I want a new blue dress, not like the light blue one I already have. No, I want an azure-blue dress. But I haven't decided if I would prefer a gold necklace or a silver one so I wrote them telling them that both necklaces would be a good present and maybe the cute little hat I saw at the shop last week", Galinda told Elphaba and anyone else sitting nearby about the things she wanted for Lurlinemas.

For Galinda, Lurlinemas meant getting more presents than any other time of the year. She had already wrapped the gifts for her family and her friends. Even Elphaba would get one: another makeover. It was so wonderful of Galinda to try and make her friend beautiful. Elphaba just couldn't see the good in the gift.

"And what did you ask for this Lurlinemas?" Fiyero asked Elphaba, who was sitting next to him.

"Nothing."

"You don't want presents?" Galinda asked in shock.

"I don't deserve them."

"Everyone deserves presents, that's the whole idea behind Lurlinemas," Galinda told her.

"No it's not. Lurlinemas is not about receiving presents. It's about remembering our friends and the loved ones who can never be with us. It's the time to be thankful." Elphaba told them, intending to get up and leave them.

She was tired of Galinda prattling on about everything that really counts like being popular or the new things she wanted even though her wardrobe was already overflowing with stuff she had never worn yet.

But before she could leave, a hand on her arm stopped her.

"Stay," Fiyero pleaded with her.

"Only if Galinda stops talking about the things she wants for Lurlinemas," Elphaba answered, knowing full well that this was impossible. Soon Galinda would start talking about her wishes or about a new pair of shoes and the dress she wanted.

Elphaba remembered the only real Lurlinemas present she ever got. It wasn't really her present to begin with. It had been Nessa's. It had been a doll, handmade by an Aunt. Nessa had gotten a custom-made doll out of the finest porcelain the next day and Elphaba had kept the rejected doll.

"Then tell us what you want," he requested.

"What I want? To end the injustice happening to Animals, that people stop ridiculing me for my green skin, that someone cares and maybe to finally meet the Wizard," Elphaba answered him truthfully. He had asked what she wanted.

Fiyero was silent for a moment. Yes, Elphaba was right. Lurlinemas wasn't about presents, not really, especially not about those presents Galinda asked for. Lurlinemas was about the people we love and care about. It was about bringing some peace and happiness into their lives and he knew how to bring this happiness to Elphaba.

No he couldn't go out and save those Animals single-handily, nor could he stop people from calling her green freak or artichoke. But he knew how to bring a smile to her beautiful face.

"No dress or new shoes?" Galinda asked, disappointed.

Elphaba and Fiyero groaned in unison. Leave it to Galinda to bring up something trivial.

With Lurlinemas being only three days away Elphaba would be glad when it was over. Galinda's prattling about her wishes was getting annoying.

"I have an essay to write," she said, citing the first excuse she could think of to finally escape her friends, praying to every unnamed God and Goddess that Lurlinemas would soon be there and over.

She didn't care for this season, the season of love and joy and peace. She had never felt any of those emotions and she longed for things to be back to normal again, which meant she wouldn't be expected to feel those feelings.

And when she left the room she shared with Galinda early in the morning on Lurlinemas, intending to escape all the joyful festivities, she found a wrapped present sitting outside her door with a card which had her name written on it.

"Who bought me a present?" she asked herself as she unwrapped the gift. There was no more writing on the card and inside was a beautiful black shawl made of the finest cashmere.

Unseen, a young man stood a couple of feet away, smiling, when he realized that he brought joy to the unhappy green girl.


	4. Chapter 4

For disclaimer and other stuff, see part 1 and thanks for the reviews to Juelz Rox and The Last Truffula Tree.

**Chapter 4 – The Wicked Witch of the West**

They say that Lurlinemas is a magical time of the year where anything is possible. But someone had stopped believing long ago.

With the black shawl she had received years ago as an anonymous Lurlinemas present wrapped around her shoulders to keep her warm, Elphaba, who was now known as the Wicked Witch of the West throughout OZ, stood at the window of the highest tower of Kiamo Ko. She ignored the biting cold of the frosted window against her cheek as she stared down onto the grounds.

She could barely hear the faint strains of laughing, merry voices on the other side of her living Hell. Her heart ached all the more at the sound. She would never know that happiness. She would never know what it was like to truly enjoy Lurlinemas or truly enjoy any holiday with a loving family that she would never have. Elphaba was condemned for a short life in loneliness. Who would ever love the Wicked Witch? It was supposed to be different. Everything in her life should have been different, but it hadn't been.

Elphaba had sealed her fate when she had defied the Wizard. That might have been her biggest mistake of all, Elphaba realized as she looked back on her tragic life. There was no turning back now. There wasn't even a life she could return to. Still, though, her heart ached with the heavy knowledge that no one cared about her.

She could still hear the taunting voices of her youth, the voices of all the people in her life:

"You are nothing but a green freak."

"The artichoke is steamed. Oh look!"

"Kill the witch, she didn't deserve to live."

"You are wicked through and through."

"It's your fault that your mother is dead and your sister can't walk."

"You should die and save us the trouble of seeing your face every day."

But while she remembered the taunting voices she remembered that there had been people who had been nice to her too: Glinda and Fiyero.

They had been nice to her.

Elphaba knew that she not only had defied the Wizard but hurt her friends too.

She had lost any chance of friendship and love. But did she even deserve those two? She shouldn't miss what she never had in her life.

Still, she longed for one night with people who cared for her. But there weren't many left. Her father, who had always hated her, had disowned her. Nessarose only cared for presents and Fiyero and Glinda had each other.

Even when she wanted to celebrate Lurlinemas for once, she had no one who would celebrate it with her, except her faithful servants, the flying monkeys.

She was truly alone.

And a tear started to roll down her cheek.

The Wicked Witch of the West cried for all the Lurlinemas celebrations she never had and would never have.

**Bonne année, feliz Año Nuevo, ****gelukkig nieuwjaar**** AND a happy new year everyone **

**THE END**


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